The excited response to the news by
senior policy advisor Ann
O'Leary —"FYI - We have
started the war with Pharma!!" — was
released after Wikileaks published Clinton campaign manager John
Podesta's emails. The campaign has not confirmed the authenticity
of the emails.

The emails give a glimpse into the internal campaign
conversations about the pharmaceutical industry.

Later that day, a conversation began about whether or not
the campaign wanted to weigh in on Dr. Robert Califf, who at that
point was nominated for FDA commissioner (he has since assumed
the role). Passing along a
New York Times article that looked at Califf's ties to
the pharmaceutical industry, an outside consultant asked,
"Do we want to weigh in on this?"

Off the bat, the consensus seemed to be that the campaign
would keep an eye on it. A few days later, press secretary Brian
Fallon asked for an update.

"As we consider fights that fit into the larger themes we are
trying to promote, this seems like a good fight to have. Plus,
the VP would be in a box of having to support this nominee," he
wrote to the thread of policy advisors and consultants.

In response, O'Leary said:

"Califf the Obama nominee does have real ties to the drug
industry - Chris Jennings is calling a few people for me to learn
more so we don't tip our hand directly. We are clean on Clinton
Admin FDA Commissioner - it was David Kessler, an academic who
had run a teaching hospital - and best known for taking on big
tobacco. We could certainly signal that we want someone willing
to stand up to Pharma (in the same way Kessler stood up to
Tobacco).

BUT - I want to do a little more digging and due diligence
before we hit this guy. Having been through a nomination fight
with my husband (in which he lost), this is personal and messy
and horrible on the person nominated and their families - so I
don't take attacking this guy lightly."

The campaign ultimately did not take a stance on Califf's
nomination, but the conversation suggests that
having an FDA commissioner who would "stand up
to pharma" as former FDA commissioner David Kessler stood up
to tobacco in the 1990s could be a priority if Clinton were
elected.